thoughts on rp3000 chuck please

[Melinda_dd]

Hi again.

As a beginner, I was lent a little lathe and a multistar duplex chuck. I got on really well with this chuck, and produced some nice bits.

However it went back to it's owner and left me chuckless... having little money at the time I bought a second hand rp3000 from E-Bay.

I tried it today after having it a while and am distressed big time! in 7 hours I produced nothing as the wood was not running true. no matter how many times I adjusted the chuck and the jaws it just was not working. it wobbled all over the place.
Are they known for being bad, or was my first good turnings a fluke!

 

[cambournepete]

I had an RP3000 many years ago and hated it as I could not get it to do what I thought it should properly.
I soon bought a scroll chuck.
The Multistar Duplex gets good review, so must be better, but I've never tried it.

 

[Melinda_dd]

I'm really downhearted. The last time I used the neighbours chuck I felt I was really getting on well and progressingwith my turning, but after using the rp3000 today I'm gutted

 

[Woodchips2]

I still use an RP3000 as well as the RP4000. The RP3000 is less versatile than the RP4000 and takes longer to set up but I don't get wobble with it. The 'C'spanner to tighten it up is a lot easier to use if you make a wooden handle for it so you increase the leverage and the metal doesn't dig into your hand. I use the RP3000 with the screw chuck and the faceplate. There are some micky mouse features like the elastic bands to hold the three jaws during assembly and the wide jaws can be unforgiving to wayward knuckles but it gave a lot of holding options for not a lot of money.

Regards Keith

 

[Melinda_dd]

It's the mickey mouse bit's that I used today. The jaws and the band. Perhaps I should give the rest of the kit a go

 

[greybeard]

The RP3000's been around for quite a few years and usually works ok. It is fiddly when compared with a scroll chuck, but it's about half the price.

You do need to make sure that your wood is a good tight fit in the jaws (The elastic band is only really used whilst you're assembling the workpiece ready to shape) - it may have been that the wood was just not seating properly or consistently?

Fingers crossed that a bit more practice will have you happily turning again...

 

[mikec]

I used the RP3000 for quite a while, it was my first chuck.

It is important that you get the size of the dovetail right, apart from that it is quite capable, just takes longer to set up than a scroll chuck. The elastic bands are just for setup, if they break then replace with any convenient size.

The jaw movement is fairly limited which is why the size of the dovetail is critical. I can't think of any reason for it to wobble other than the setup is not correct.

Stick with it, its a good low cost beginners chuck until you have the funds and committment for a more expensive scroll chuck.

mikec

 

[jpt]

As others have said it is a good chuck if a bit fiddly, I used one for years before I got a scroll chuck.

You need to get the dovetail accurate to about 2mm each way for the best hold and the inside of the recess or the top of the spigot needs to be flat or slightly concave. If it isnt the chuck wont be able to hold properly and you will have problems getting it to run true and not wobble.

john

 

[Melinda_dd]

Thanks pep's, having slept on it i'm gonna give the chuck another go before spending on another. Bit more time needed i reckon on the dovetail by the sounds of it.

 

[Jonzjob]

I don't know if you had the instructions with the chuck, but they are here http://www.recordpower.co.uk/intricart/ ... 3000X1.pdf

I have never bee good at remembering the names of most of the kit I have, but I realised that the last time I used my 3000 was a couple of daze ago! It is now the permanent holder for my screw chuck.

Whe it was the only chuck system I had I found it awkward because of having to have 3 hands for the 2 'C' spanners and holding the wood as well, but it worked with no unexpected balance problems. It worked well for me for a couple of years before I got the Aximinster Clubmaster K8. It came with a basic set of jaws then and after a while I upgraded it with a set of O'Donnel jaws http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ax ... rod804392/

Since then I ain't looked back.

But, the 3000 is OK. You just have to make sure that you have the jaws as tight as you possibly can! And I do mean tight. I sometimes held one 'C' spanner against the tool rest and thumped the other with my soft faced dead weight hammer...